Flash eliminator for guns



1935- G. DE BRUIN I 2,010,178

FLASH ELIMINATOR FOR GUNS Filed Oct. 11, 1932 INVENTOR GERRIT DE BRUIN BY l-us ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1935 half to Naamlooze Venno'otschap Nederlandsche Springstofienfabrieken, Amsterdam, Netherlands Ap l cation October 11,

1932, Serial No. 637,267

In the Netherlands October 13, 1931 5 Claims.

Accordingto current theories the muzzle flash of firearms is caused by a secondary combustion process. When burning gunpowder in a firearm a quantity of inflammable gases is formed,

for the greater part carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2). During the combustion in the barrel the carbon and hydrogen contained in the gunpowder cannot fully burn down to CO2 and 1-120, asthe quantity of oxygen present in the gunpowder is not suflicient thereto. When these gases leave the muzzle and mix with the oxygen of the air themixture will take fire, if a suitable proportion of mixture is attained and if the temperature of the gas mixture is still above the ignition temperature.

This flash is a highly undesirable phenomenon,

as it discloses the position of the gun or the place oi" the gunner and blinds the gun-detachment.

Much trouble has been taken to overcome this disadvantage, but always the solution of this problem has been sought in the manufacture of a gunpowder showing but little or no flash, a so called flashless gunpowder. This solution, however, has the disadvantage that the flashlessness of gunpowder can only be obtained by sacrificing part of the ballistic property; e. g. with flashless gunpowder and under equal circumstances one must always be content with a smaller initial velocity of the projectile than would be attainable if the requirement of flashlessness was not to be answered. The same disadvantage is experienced if the flashlessness is obtained by adding foreign substances to the charge or by trying to cool the gases in the barrel behind the projectile by injecting a liquid in the barrel.

' 'This invention seeks the solution of the problem in another direction and starts from the principle, that, using any kind of flash giving gunpowder, the powder is allowed to have its full effect on the projectile in the barrel, measures only being taken at the moment that the gases together with the projectile leave the muzzle of the firearm.

In order to prevent the gases from igniting at the said moment on account of their mixing with the oxygen of this air, according to the invention a layer of liquid is created between the outflowing hot gases and the surrounding atmosphere. This layer (or layers) prevents for a short time the gases from mixing with the air and accelerates the cooling down of the gases. Due to the strong expansion and subsequently to the mixing of the gases with the liquid, they are brought in such a condition that the gas mixture resulting from mixing with the air does no longer take fire.

In general a mere cooling action will suffice and the layer of liquid will then be water; however, in

cases in which the desired effect can but difiicultly be attained with water only, solutions of inorganic or organic compounds, organic liquids, emulsions or suspensions, etc. decreasing the inflammability of gas mixtures, may be used, as

well as solutions of soap, saponine or other foaming means, which guarantee a better coating for the gas mass and consequently thus accelerate the cooling of the gases by expansion, before the mixture with air takes place. 7

In order toapply the'liquid layer or layersin the right place a spraying device is mounted around or to the muzzle or further backwards on the stationary or recoiling parts of the gun, which device, according to the invention, is so constructed that just before discharging the gun it forms one or more somewhat diverging liquid layers in front of the muzzle, which temporarily envelop the outflowing gunpowder gases and. separate them from the surrounding air. The liquid layer need not necessarily be uninterrupted. A spray with closely spaced apertures or an atomizing spray instead of a slit also has a good effect. In order to prevent the velocity of the projectile from being influenced by colliding of the projectile with the liquid, it is desirable that the latter is ejected with force, so that over some distance the spray remains almost parallel to its original direction, while thereafter the liquid atomizes more and more. It is also desirable to make the diameter of the spray circle larger than that of the barrel of the gun. The space between the sprayer and the barrel may generally remain open without any objection.

Referring to the drawing;-- 1

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a gun muzzle with one form of invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an end View of the gun muzzle shown in Figure 1.

In the drawing the gun muzzle H] has secured to it in a suitable manner as by brackets l2, 2. liquid conduit It which terminates in a ring l6 surrounding the gun bore at the muzzle and held in place by a suitable means such as bracket H3. The ring it has projecting from it in direction of the projectile travel a series of nozzles or orifices 2B. The nozzles or orifices are preferably divergent to compensate in a degree for the expansion of the gases issuing from the gun.

For controlling the flow of liquid, there may be inserted in the conduit [4 between the spray nozzles 2B and a reservoir 22, valve means of any suitable construction. For the sake of illustration I have shown conventionally a valve V.

In stationary mountings (ships, fortresses, etc.)

the spraying device may be mounted independently of the gun and if desired may operate for.

several guns simultaneously, in which case one or more Sprayers may be mounted for each gun, connected to a pipe through which the liquid is supplied under pressure. With mobile mountings it is desirable to make use of the 'recoilin'g of the,

fire-arm for bringing theliquid under pressure.

For the synchronization a regulating mechanism, connected with the discharging device, may be used.

The invention is applicable to all kinds of firearms.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for eliminating flashes from heavy or light ordnance, comprising means for forming freely in air at the muzzle of a gun a liquid envelope for the outflowing gunpowder I gases by the projection of liquid in the direction of a projectiletraveLand means to cause the formation of said envelope just prior to the gun discharge, whereby the hot gases are permitted to expand and cool within said envelope while being kept from freely mixing with the air. 2. Apparatus for eliminating flashes from heavy or light ordnance, comprising spraying means positioned near the muzzle of the gun for creating freely in air an envelope for the outflowing gunpowder gases, and means to eject liquid from said spraying means in the direction of projectile travel just prior to the gun discharge, whereby the hot gases are permittedto expand and cool within said envelope while being kept from freely mixing with the air.

,3. Apparatus for eliminating flashes from heavy or light ordnance, comprising a spraying device positioned at the muzzle of a gun for form ing freely in air at least one diverging liquid envelope enclosing the gunpowder gases, and supply means for'delivering liquid under pressure to said device just prior to the gun discharge, whereby .the hot gases arepermitted to expand and cool within said envelope while being'kept from freely mixing withthev air.

4. The method of eliminating flashes from heavy or light ordnance; comprising forming freely in air a liquid envelope at the muzzle of the gun, to enclose the gunpowder gases at the momentof gun discharge, whereby the hot gases are permitted to expand and cool within said'en velope while being kept from freely mixing with the air.

heavy or light ordnance, comprising projecting liquid freely in air at the muzzle of the gun in the direction of projectile traveljust prior to gun discharge to form an envelope enclosing the gunpowder gases at the moment of discharge, where'- by the hot gases are permitted to expand and; being keptfrom' cool within said envelope while freely mixing with air. 7 I

- Y GERRIT DE:BRUIN. 

